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Monday, December 22, 2014

At the End of Everything #21

After Sharry’s message, I wasted no time in getting down to business. I wanted to give my best impression to her, so I poured my energy into planning out meticulous outings for her. We went to a lot of places in the short span of two weeks, with me picking out our itinerary. Through internet searches and talks with friends, I came out with a list of places that were well known. Cafes, parks, restaurants and other attractions around the island.

During the nights after our work, we explored the nightlife that SIngapore has to offer. We went to places like the bars and eateries at Haji Lane, the Singapore river and also the Sentosa Boardwalk. During the weekends, we went for the more adventurous activities, such as cycling in Ubin, and taking a boat trip to the nearby Kusu and St John islands. I was surprised that she was actually fine with the list that I made, tagging along eagerly for all of them.

“Hmm… Don’t your friends or colleagues ever ask you out?” I asked her one day. We were on a bumboat to Ubin island, crossing the Tebrau Strait. The sound of the propeller cutting through the seawater hummed behind us. I was curious of why she always seemed so agreeable to my suggestions. It felt as if it was too good to be true, a beautiful blonde accepting the advances of a not so good looking Asian guy.

She looked at me, her eyebrows frowned. “And why would you ask that?” Her English accent felt so alluring to my ears.

Her response caught me off guard, and I was not quite sure of how to reply. In the end, I decided that honesty was the best way forward. I carefully crafted the reply in my mind. “Because I am sure a lovely girl like you would receive numerous invites to go out right? I mean from your colleagues and friends? I just can’t believe my luck in you always saying yes to my ideas.” My fingers scratched at my chin nervously.

“Ah, I see what you mean.” Her face changed into a smile. She leaned back unto the side of the boat, letting her hair hang loose in the wind. “Because they would always suggest the boring places. Bars, pubs, and clubs. Those I have been to more than enough back in London. Your suggestions, they’re fun and unique. I like them.” And then she put her right palm on my thigh.

I could not ask for a better response from her. For the rest of our day at Ubin, it felt like I had won the biggest jackpot in my life. The sensation of her palm touching my skin kept replaying in my mind. We continued on with what we were doing, going down the list that I had compiled. Each day that we were out, I felt happy again, proud even. I would often steal glances at her when we were out, my feelings for her growing exponentially. It was hard not to. She was pretty, outgoing, independent and humourous.

“I think the Merlion is a frequent clubber,” she once mentioned out of the blue, while we on a boat cruising along the Singapore river. Not far from us, lights flashed against the icon of Singapore, while it stood stoically looking over the opening to the river.

“Why so?” I asked her back.

“Because he pukes so often. Must be the result of him drinking too much the previous night.” The other tourists on the boat looked confusedly at us, as we laughed uncontrollably together.

When we were not meeting face to face, our phones beeped constantly with each other’s messages. It became something that I looked forward to everyday. During the breaks and free time, I would scramble to see if there was any new messages from her. Wishing each other ‘Good morning’ became part of our habit, and without me realizing it, I had fallen deeply for her.